THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


JUNE    DUSK 
FLORENCE  NASH 


FLORENCE  NASH 


JUNE     DUSK 

AND    OTHER    POEMS 

BY 
FLORENCE     NASH 


NEW  ^J5^  YORK 
GEORGE  H.  DORAN  COMPANY 


Copyright,  1918, 
By  George  H.  Doran  Company 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


College 
Library 


TO 

MOTHER  AND  MARY 

FOR  WHOM  MY  LOVE  IS  TOO 
BIG    TO    PUT   INTO    A   POEM 


1116701 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

SONG  OF  THE  THESPIANS 13 

A  COMEDIENNE 15 

THE  CALL  OF  THE  EOAD 16 

A  PRAYER 17 

LINES  TO  A  DEAD  POET 18 

WHEN  I  AM  DEAD 19 

WHEN  THE  DUSK-HOUR  HERALDS  NIGHT    .        .  20 

A  VISION 21 

WHAT  THE  WIND  FINDS 22 

A  CONFESSION  OF  FAITH 25 

AN  APOLOGY 28 

PETER'S  SMILE  .........  29 

TO  THE  SUN 30 

A  LETTER 31 

AT  DREAM-LAND  INN 32 

THE  WRECK  OF  DREAMS 34 

AN  AFTER  THOUGHT 35 

ODE  TO  A  MUSICIAN  ON  HIS  BIRTHDAY       .        .  36 

[vii] 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

PAN  FASHIONED  YOU 38 

CONCERNING  CONJUGATION 39 

A  LOVER'S  PLAINT 40 

SHOULD  YOU  VOW  YOUR  LOVE  FOR  ME     .  41 

A  REQUEST 42 

I  LAY  AWAKE 43 

I  DO  NOT  BRING  YOU  ANYTHING    ....  44 

MY  LOVE  THOUGH  SMALL  IS  EXQUISITE    .      .  45 
I  NEVER  KNEW  THAT  LOVE  COULD  BE  LIKE 

THIS 46 

YOUR  LOVE  HAS  GONE 47 

WHY  DID  YOU  SEND  ME  BACK  MY  HEART?    .  48 

FINALE 49 

ASHES  OF  INCENSE 50 

I  HAVE  FORGOTTEN  YOU 52 

AFTER  A  QUARREL 53 

LOVE  STOLE  MY  YOUTH 54 

FOR  I  WAS  BLIND 55 

I  FOUND  THE  GOD  OF  LITTLE  THINGS  ...  56 

AN  ADIEU 57 

LONELINESS 58 

SOMETIMES  AT  NIGHT 59 

WHY  MUST  I  LOVE?          .......  60 

I  WHISPER  TO  THE  VOICES  OF  THE  DAWN        .  61 

[viii] 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

LET  ME  COME 62 

A  LOVE-SONG 63 

GATHER  ME  CLOSE  IN  YOUR  ARMS       ...  64 

BEWILDERED _.  65 

SINCE  I  AM  FLESH 66 

I  FEAR  MY  HEART  GROWS  LAME     ....  67 

MY  WORSHIP'S  OVER 68 

TO  MY  IDEAL 69 

CYNTHIA  TO  ENDYMION 71 

THE  YOGI  IN  THE  FOREST 72 

THE  TALE  OF  MOHAMED  ALI 73 

EVENING 75 

A  MAGDALEN  IN  THE  DESERT 76 

FROM  A  HOTEL  WINDOW 78 

AFTER  A  CONCERT 79 

A  SEA-SHELL 81 

SHAKESPEAREAN  SONNET* 82 

i 82 

ii 83 

in 84 

IV  ............  85 

THE  GODS  PROTECTED  ME 86 

I*  THE  MYSTIC  MOOD 87 

FLOWER  O*  YOUTH 88 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

JUNE-DUSK 89 

ALL  NIGHT  WE  WATCHED  THE  SUNSET        .        .  90 

THE  DUSK  RE-CAPTURES  YOU 91 

SHOULD  YOU  SPEAK  NOW 92 

A  TALE  WITH  A  MORAL  93 

/ 

TO  A  GHOST-MAN 95 

OH,  FIE  ON  ME! 96 

MEMORY  MY  LOVE  DOES  BORROW  ....  97 

YES,  DEAR 98 

A  POEM  WITHOUT  A  HERO 99 

I  AM  IN  LOVE  WITH  LOVE 100 

WHEN  WE  DID  KISS  FOR  THE  EMOTION'S  SAKE  101 

THE  WEAK'NING  STRENGTH  OF  LOVE  .     .     .  102 

IF  YOU  WERE  DEAD 103 

WITHIN  YOUR  DULCET  EYES  OF  GREY  104 


JUNE   DUSK 


JUNE  DUSK 


SONG  OF  THE  THESPIANS 

WE  ministered  rites  religious 
Ere  most  modern  creeds  began 
And  our  pulpit  is  agnostic, 
Teaching  ev'ry  creed  to  man. 

We  have  pledged  us  unto  nature 
And  no  artifice  of  art 
Have  we  learned  to  show  the  future 
That  we  mined  our  pain  of  heart. 

We're  content  to  serve  our  altars; 
Many  vestals  watch  the  flame 
Who  have  sacrificed  their  beauty 
For  a  water-written  name. 
[13] 


JUNE  DUSK 

And  beside  them,  there  are  many 

Who  do  serve  the  temple  well 

By  a  wantonness   alluring 

Which  brings  gold  for  what  they  sell. 

You  may  scoff  at  us  and  scorn  us 
But  you  bow  to  us  as  gods 
When  we  sway  you  with  emotions, 
Paying  life-force  for  your  sobs. 

And  of  all  the  lives  we  live  here 
We  may  choose  the  best  to  keep 
As  companion  in  our  coffin 
Should  we  dream  in  our  long  sleep. 


[14] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  COMEDIENNE 

I  HAVE  no  dignity  nor  claims  on  art, 
I'm  but  a  clown  who  capers  for  awhile, 
And  yet  I  know  my  humour  gift  of  God 
For,  once,  mine  antics  made  a  sad  man  smile. 


[15] 


JUNE  DUSK 


THE   CALL   OF   THE   ROAD 

IT'S  real  fall  on  the  one-night  stands ; 
It's  only  colder  weather  here. 
I'm  getting  lonely  for  the  road, 
We've  played  New  York  a  solid  year. 

I'd  like  to  take  to  trains  again, 
Now  that  the  country's  red  and  gold, 
I  guess  we  can't  get  out  just  yet, 
Not  while  this  standing-room  is  sold. 

I'd  like  to  see  the  fields  run  by 

And  watch  the  farm-house  chimney's  smoke; 

I'd  like  to  take  an  early  jump 

And  see  the  sunrise  for  a  joke. 


[16] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  PRAYER 

GOD,  let  me  drifting  go  adown  this  world 
As  now,  just  wandering  in  dreams,  nor  see 
Aught  more  of  passion  than  what  poets'  songs 
Have  gently  voiced  unto  the  soul  of  me. 


[17] 


JUNE  DUSK 


LINES  TO  A  DEAD  POET 

COME  hold  my  hand  across  the  space  of  death, 
Dear,  gentle  singer  whom  I  read  so  well, 
Surely  mine  anguish  does  inform  you  now 
Of  all  that  love  I  had  no  chance  to  tell. 

Gather  me  close  within  your  spirit's  arms, 
Soothing  my  fears  with  your  enchanted  hands, 
Whisper  some  song  there  was  no  time  to  sing 
Before  your  journey  to  the  shadow-lands. 

Flowers  were  laid  upon  your  last  low  bed, 
Soft-petaled  violets  of  dusk-time  hue, 
I  have  no  knowledge  where  your  grave  may  be, 
I  only  know  it  has  not  prisoned  you. 

So  hold  my  hand  across  the  space  of  death, 
Soothing  my  fears  with  your  enchanted  hands, 
Though  in  this  life  you  knew  not  of  my  love, 
Such  love  must  triumph  in  the  shadow-lands. 

[18] 


JUNE  DUSK 


WHEN  I  AM  DEAD 

WHEN  I  am  dead,  sing  me  no  requiems, 
Chant  me  no  dirges,  nor  weep  for  me  tears; 
I  shall  pass  over  the  flesh-chilling  border 
Soul  singing  joyously,  empty  of  fears. 

When  I  am  dead,  I  shall  wander  on  gleefully, 
Free  from  this  burden  of  sense-fettered  flesh, 
Wander  along  on  the  highway  Elysian, 
Drunk  with  the  waters  of  Lethe  afresh. 

I  shall  go  fleeting  along  with  the  breezes 
Twirling  the  dust  of  what  erstwhile  was  I, 
I'll  fall  in  love  with  the  scent  of  the  roses 
Which  I  shall  capture  but  lose  when  I  sigh. 

When  I  am  dead,  I  shall  wander  on  merrily 
Timing  my  feet  to  the  pipe-flutes  of  Pan, 
Wander  along  with  Dryads  and  Fairy-folk 
Wander,  unseen,  in  the  green  haunts  of  man. 

[19] 


JUNE  DUSK 


WHEN    THE   DUSK-HOUR   HERALDS 
NIGHT 

THERE'S  a  path  I  love  to  wander 
When  the  dusk-hour  heralds  night 
And  the  day,  earth's  vanquished  lover, 
Wanders  out  in  rosy  light. 

For  when  day  dies,  all  the  flowers 
Seem  to  change  to  saddened  hue 
And  their  voices'  fragrant  incense 
Wafts  their  promise  to  be  true. 

And  the  wind  then  moans  quite  softly 
But  with  sobbing  sound  so  drear, 
That  my  soul  can  guess  that  message 
Which  my  senses  cannot  hear. 


[20] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  VISION 

I  HAVE  seen  fairies  in  the  city's  park 
When  Pan's  pipes  fluted  through  the  star-lit 
dark. 

Their  eyes  were  luminous  forget-me-nots, 
Like  ladies'  blackened  with  mascara  dots. 

Their  faces,  rose-leaves  on  a  lily-stalk ; 
And  silver  bells  chimed  when  they  seemed  to 
talk. 

Their  little  bodies  were  fantastical- — 

I  think  God  made  them  feeling  whimsical. 


[21] 


JUNE  DUSK 


WHAT  THE  WIND  FINDS 

DEAE  Wind, 

What  do  you  find  in  your  journeying? 

I 

What  do  I  find  in  my  journeying? 
Much  that  is  good 
And  much  that  is  bad, 
Causes  to  weep 
And  those  to  be  glad. 
Everything,  in  my  journeying, 
I  find. 

I  see  the  whole  world 
In  its  beauty  and  dinginess 
And  summer  is  rich ; 
Winter  knows  naught  of  stinginess, 
And  she'd  grieve  that  the  generous  gift  of  her 

snow 
Was   the  cause  of  the  death   of  the  flowers 

and  so 
5Tis,  in  autumn,  I  blow 


JUNE  DUSK 

And  bid  them  to  go 

And  stay  playing  with  fairies  till  spring-winds 

I  blow. 

And  the  birds  of  the  North 
I  woo  with  my  voice 
Till  they  follow  me  South  and,  in  chirpings 

rejoice, 
At  the  wondrous  new  beauty  which  round  them 

does  grow. 

To  springs  and  to  rivers 
I  whisper,  and  lo! 
With  their  ice  they  protect  the  dear  fish  from 

the  snow 

Which  winter,  through  wisdom, 
On  earth  does  bestow, 
To  cool  off  its  summer-learnt  passion; 
For  'tis  fashion 

In  summer,  to  love  with  great  passion 
Be  ye  human  or  beast, 
Be  ye  flower  or  bee, 
Or  even,  alas  and  alack, 
Be  ye  me. 

[23] 


JUNE  DUSK 

For  when  summer  is  come, 

I  love  the  whole  world 

For  its  niceness  and  naughtiness 

And  it  loses  its  haughtiness 

And  woos  me  in  manner  like  this : 

"Oh,  Wind,  gently  purring, 

Be  stronger  in  stirring 

And  grant  me  the  boon  of  thy  kiss.' 


[24] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  CONFESSION  OF  FAITH 

UNTO  the  question  "Who  created  thee?" 
My  baby-lips  were  taught  to  answer  "God." 
And  then  they  taught  me  what  great  God  was 

like, 

Endowing  him  with  envy,  anger,  greed, 
And  all  dread  passions  that  we  loathe  in  man. 
And,    now,    I    know    that    mingling    with    my 

prayers 

Were  loathing  thoughts  I  feared  to  recognise 
Because  I  feared  the  God  of  fearsome  hell. 
I  knew,  for  me,  'twould  not  be  hell  of  fire 
But    constant    wand'ring   down    a    dawn-grey 

waste 

Where  steady  moaning  of  a  dreary  wind 
Filled  me  with  longing  for  the  human-kind 
Of  which  none  were  existent,  saving  me. 
'Twas  thus  I  thought  till  fear  made  me  rebel 
Against    a   teaching   which   could   bring   such 

pain. 

[25] 


JUNE  DUSK 

And  then  I  thought  "In  death,  is  end  of  all." 
But  pansies  withered  and  then  bloomed  again; 
The  violets  seemed  sweeter  every  spring; 
The  rose-bush,  which  in  winter  aped  decay, 
In  June  was  fragrant  with  new  blossoming; 
And  in  their  beauty  they  bespoke  a  God 
Whose  mercy  touched  decay  and  made  new  life. 
'Twas  when  the  birds  seemed  hymning  in  the 

trees 

That  God  was  intimate  and  made  of  love. 
Such  revolution  burning  in  my  brain 
Was  often  quenched  by  thoughts  as  orthodox 
As  "God  rules  hell  and  hell  knows  naught  of 

love 
So  God,  being  known  there,  can't  be  made  of 

love." 

And  yet  the  birds  kept  hymning  just  the  same; 
The   winds    kept   breathing   ghostly   worship 
ping; 

The  flowers,  in  an  odoriferous  voice, 
Kept  praising  God  and  naming  him  "Great 
Love;" 
[26] 


JUNE  DUSK 

And  streamlets  whispered  to  their  own  selves' 

shores 

"He,  who  created  us,  directs  our  course 
And,  sometimes,  makes  us  muddy  that  his  love 
May  find  us  dearer  when  we're  clear  again;" 
'Twas  thus  in  nature  that  I  heard  God's  voice 
Bidding  me  bring  my  burdens  to  His  feet 
And  rest  me  there  while  He  would  make  them 

light. 


JUNE  DUSK 


AN  APOLOGY 

IF  I  did  stay  too  long,  'twas  not  my  fault; 
For  when  I  entered  in,  my  brain  did  halt 
To  reason  and  enjoyment  crowned  as  king. 
You  charmed  me  and  the  pleasure,  dear,  was 

such 

The  passing  hours  did  but  lightly  touch 
Me,  as  they  passed  with  folded,  silent  wing. 
Gave  I  offence?     I  would  indeed  atone 
By  any  punishment  save  one  alone; 
And  that  one  is  my  future  banishment. 
That  one  alone  I  really  cannot  stand 
So,  I  do  pray  you,  make  not  that  demand 
Or  sin  were  lesser  far  than  punishment. 


[28] 


JUNE  DUSK 


PETER'S  SMILE 

SMALL  Peter,  with  the  tender  wistful  eyes, 
Where  did  you  find  a  smile  so  kind  and  wise? 

Where  did  a  baby  learn  such  winning  art? 
But  then,  you  lived,  for  months,  near  Mother's 
heart. 

For  months,  your  soul  might  mingle  with  her 

own, 
A  thing  of  beauty  seen  by  you  alone. 

You  heard  the  inner  echoes  of  her  voice 

No  wonder  that  your  smile  makes  God  rejoice. 


[29] 


JUNE  DUSK 


TO  THE  SUN 

SUN,  when  the  earth  has  turned  towards  thee 

France, 

Bid  thy  rays  seek  out  Aime,  let  their  warmth 
Seem  like  the  benediction  of  my  love 
Which  is  so  vast  no  passion  could  enhance 
Its  value  in  the  sight  of  us  or  God ; 
Whisper  his  friend  can  sometimes  find  his  soul 
In  the  oft  glamour  of  thy  setting  self, 
And  in  the  rosy  glory  of  day's  death 
Can  find  the  laughing  glory  of  his  soul. 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  LETTER 

LET  others  kiss  your  lips. 
Let  others  hold  your  hands. 
Just  let  me  have  your  love ; 
That  love  which  understands 
That  hidden  'neath  this  flesh, 
Which  cloaks  the  soul  of  me, 
Is  one  small  streak  of  good 
To  last  eternity. 


[31] 


JUNE  DUSK 


AT  DREAM-LAND  INN 

OH,  hush !  Little  Clean  Heart, 
Lest  you  wake  your  grosser  self, 
Wrap  yourself  in  wraithiness, — 
To  waste  our  sleep  were  sin. 
I  have  doffed  my  fleshly  cloak 
And  in  my  mental  mantle 
I  wait,  for  you  to  follow  me, 
At  Dream-land  Inn. 
We  can  hire  the  minstrel,  Wind, 
To  sing  us  songs  of  Arcady 
Or  wander  into  Cricket  Hall 
And  hear  the  fairies  j  azz ; 
We  can  charter  moon-beams 
To  sail  upon  the  sea  of  sky, 
Or  listen  to  the  scented  speech 
That  every  flower  has. 
We  can  hear  the  shiv'ring  leaves 
Telling  tales  of  burglaries, 
[32] 


JUNE  DUSK 

Columbine  just  ran  away 

With  Pierrot's  heart; 

We  can  wander,  hand  in  hand, 

Through  some  shadow  meadow-land 

Till  the  dawn  of  day-time  wakes 

Our  thoughts  apart. 


[33] 


JUNE  DUSK 


THE  WRECK  OF  DREAMS 

PERCHANCE  you  too  are  looking  at  the  clouds 
And   telling  your  new  loved   one  what  each 

seems ; 

To  me,  they  seem  like  driftwood  made  of  down, 
A  flimsy  texture  but  the  wreck  of  dreams. 


[34] 


JUNE  DUSK 


AN  AFTER  THOUGHT 

MY  love  brought  nothing,  dear,  at  all  to  you 

But,  unto  me,  a  cleansing  fire 

Moulding  desire 

Into  aspirations  higher 

Than  I  had  known  without  my  love  for  you. 

For,  though  you've  gone  from  out  my  life, 

Your  memory  has  led  the  strife 

Against  the  baser  elements  in  me. 

I  can't  explain  love's  wizardry 

But  I'll  love  you  eternally. 


[35] 


JUNE  DUSK 


ODE  TO  A  MUSICIAN  ON  HIS 
BIRTHDAY 

WERE  I  that  mystical  unknown  thing,  Fate, 

On  this,  your  birth-day,  I  should  grant  to  you 

Emotions  to  be  tuned  to  melodies ; 

For  your  past  sins,  I'd  grant  you  penitence 

And  the  shamed  memory  that  they  were  sweet 

So  that  your  art,  in  minor  cadences, 

Might  show  that  j  oy  is  stronger  than  one's  will. 

And  for  your  good  deeds,  I  should  grant  you 

pride 

That  j  oyous  paeans  might  on  men  impress 
That  good  has  beauty  in  the  major  key; 
And  for  your  future,  I  should  grant  your  soul 
Its  every  wish,  then  let  it  wish  for  more 
Lest  surfeiture  should  your  sweet  soul-songs 

dull; 

And  for  your  masterpiece,  I'd  grant  you  love. 
Love  all  complete  yet  incomplete  because 
[36] 


JUNE  DUSK 

No  soul  on  earth  could  quite  absorb  it  all; 
It  should  be  variant  in  mood  that  you 
Might  find  a  theme  in  every  single  kiss, 
Abandoned  and  ascetic,  each  in  turn, 
Should  claim  a  melody  from  out  your  brain 
And  jealous  thoughts  discordant  crashes  make 
Till  men  cried  out,  "His  music  voices  pain 
Such  as  the  damned  must  feel  if  there  be  hell." 
Then  an  ecstatic  wonderment  of  bliss, 
In  sighing  strains,  should  tender  finish  make. 

And  after  I  had  granted  you  those  gifts, 
Were  I  that  mystical  unknown  thing,  Fate, 
I  selfishly  should  grant  a  simple  theme 
Suggested  by  a  few  fond  thoughts  of  me. 


[37] 


JUNE  DUSK 


PAN  FASHIONED  YOU 

I  THINK  the  god  who  fashioned  you  was  Pan 
And  that  he  mixed  the  springtime's  sunniness 
With  the  grave  moods  of  little  elfin  folk 
To  find  your  smile  its  merry  wistfulness. 


[38] 


JUNE  DUSK 


CONCERNING  CONJUGATION 

WHEN  I, did  go  to  school, 
I  thought  it  such  a  bore 
To  learn  to  conjugate 
The  verbs  love  and  adore. 
And  since  I've  met  you,  dear, 
I  know  'twas  waste  of  time 
For  tenses  have  they  none 
Save  that  of  present  time. 
And  they  have  but  one  form 
I  can  affirm  as  true, 
'Tis  that  which  does  express 
My  feelings,  dear,  for  you. 


[39] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  LOVER'S  PLAINT 

PRETTY  light,  dancing  around  the  sun, 
Tell  me  how  many  kisses  you've  won 
From  the  sun. 

Pretty  shore,  guarding  yon  little  lake, 
Tell  me  how  many  kisses  you  take 
From  the  lake. 

Pretty  star,  nestling  near  to  the  moon, 
How  many  times  have  you  had  that  boon 
From  the  moon? 

How  many  kisses  you  all  have  won! 
Whereas  I,  poor  soul,  I  have  won  none 
From  "Some  one." 


[40] 


JUNE  DUSK 


SHOULD  YOU  VOW  YOUR  LOVE  FOR  ME 

WOULD  that  I  knew  some  god  or  fay 
To  whisper  to  your  heart  to  love  me; 
For  should  you  vow  your  love  for  me, 
Eternally,  dear  one,  you'd  love  me. 

For  I  should  love  you  in  such  way 
That  my  love  never  should  grow  boring; 
'Twould  first  be  sad,  and  then  be  gay, 
But,  always,  it  would  be  adoring. 

And  when  our  lips  should  meet  to  kiss, 
My  kisses,  dear,  should  be  quite  many 
But  of  so  many  din" rent  kinds 
You'd  never  have  enough  of  any. 

My  love  should  be  the  poet's  dream, 
That's  too  elusive  for  expression, 
But  I  should  tell  it,  dear,  to  you 
In  wordless  way  of  sweet  confession. 

[41] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  REQUEST 

I  PBAY  you  give  me  back  ray  heart, 
Since  you  have  hearts  a-plenty, 
I  should  not  like  to  feel  it  break 
At  some  odd  years  and  twenty. 

Yet,  it  is  such  a  little  thing 
And  worn  so  weak  with  weeping, 
I  know  'twould  die  were  it  moved  now 
So  hold  it  in  your  keeping. 

But,  by  whatever  gods  you  have 
I  humbly  do  implore  you 
Be  kind  and  lie  and  humour  it 
Since  it  does  so  adore  you. 


[42] 


JUNE  DUSK 


I  LAY  AWAKE 

FOR  yester  eve  you  made  some  show  of  love, 
I  lay  awake  throughout  the  entire  night 
And  wove  me  dreams  out  of  mine  ecstasy, 
Ecstasy  free  from  sensual  delight. 


[43] 


JUNE  DUSK 


I  DO  NOT  BRING  YOU  ANYTHING 

I  DO  not  bring  you  anything, 
I've  only  come  to  get 
A  little  hour  of  your  life 
Which  I  shall  not  forget. 

Which  I  shall  not  forget,  my  sweet, 
So  prithee  do  be  kind, 
Plant  kisses,  like  forget-me-nots, 
To  bloom  within  my  mind. 

Plant  kisses  like  forget-me-nots, 
And  little  roses  too, 
Warm  kisses  that  shall  bloom  beside 
Sad  separation's  rue. 


[44] 


JUNE  DUSK 


MY  LOVE  THOUGH  SMALL  IS 
EXQUISITE 

MY  love,  though  small,  is  exquisite 
And  very  pure.    That's  requisite! 

My  love,  though  pure,  is  passionate 
So  towards  me  be  compassionate. 

Lean  down  your  lips — but  gingerly! 
Kiss  me — but  only  tenderly. 


[45] 


JUNE  DUSK 


I  NEVER  KNEW  THAT  LOVE  COULD 
BE  LIKE  THIS 

I  NEVER  knew  that  love  could  be  like  this ; 
That  I  could  sit,  alone,  and  know  your  kiss 
Was  on  another's  lips  and  never  care 
But  be  contented  that  my  own  sweet  share 
Of  you  was  mine  and,  kissing,  was  aware 
Of  something1  helpless  that  you  missed  in  this 
Embrace  so  learned  in  the  school  of  bliss. 


[46] 


JUNE  DUSK 


YOUR  LOVE  HAS  GONE 

YOUE  love  has  gone — gone  somewhere  with 
your  smile, 

Gone  from  your  eyes,  and  from  your  lips 
astray, 

Gone  from  your  speech,  and  from  your  hand 
clasp  too; 

And  my  sweet  bliss  has  turned  to  dull  dismay. 


[47] 


JUNE  DUSK 


WHY  DID  YOU  SEND  ME  BACK  MY 
HEART? 

WHY  did  you  send  me  back  my  heart? 
I  have  no  place  to  put  it  now ; 
My  breast  is  nourishing  a  dream, 
A  little  dream  with  placid  brow. 

A  dream  that's  small  as  pure  things  are 

But  O !  so  very,  very  sweet, 

I  bow  mind  head,  in  ecstasy, 

And  kiss  my  small  dream's  baby-feet. 

And  must  I  put  that  dream  aside 

And  gather  up  mine  heart  instead? 

My  little  dream  has  been  so  bright 

My  heart  will  seem  a  thing  that's  dead. 


[48] 


JUNE  DUSK 


FINALE 

NEVER  again,  however  we  endeavour, 
Shall  you  or  I  find  any  love  like  ours; 
When  we  were  young  we  wove  it  out  of  fancy 
Nor  broidered  it  with  passion's  purple  hours. 
We     were     content     with     Rapture's     pastel 

shadings, 

Fed  love  on  sunsets  or  a  poet's  line, 
Held  hands  and  wept  at  Pagliacci's  ending — 
The  comedy  that's  ended  now  is  mine. 


[49] 


JUNE  DUSK 


ASHES  OF  INCENSE 

MY  heart  holdeth  naught  but  the  ashes  of  in 
cense 

Wherewith  I  made  fires  for  your  shrine; 

And  you,  who  were  erstwhile  mine  idol  and 
worshipped 

With  rapture  ecstatic  and  fine, 

Had  found  the  indelible  proof  of  my  loving 

Grow  purer  and  finer  with  time. 

For  mine  was  no  passion  of  sensual  longing 

But  something  poetic  and  rare. 

I  brought  you  my  soul  and  I  laid  it  before  you, 

I  stripped  every  inch  of  it  bare; 

I  showed  you  the  dreams  that  I  wove  me  of 

fancy, 
You  fashioned  each  dream,  unaware. 

I  likened  your  soul  to  the  breath  of  the  roses, 
I  pictured  your  heart  as  divine; 
[50] 


JUNE  DUSK 


I  gave  all  the  best  of  my  life  to  a  worship 

That  wearied  you  out  in  due  time. 

Mine  idol  withdrew  then  though  friendship  was 

left  me. 
Pale  ashes  are  cold  things,  but  mine. 


[51] 


JUNE  DUSK 


I  HAVE  FORGOTTEN  YOU 

I  HAVE  forgotten  you 

And  all  the  time  I  gave 

To  thinking  of  you 

I  now  save 

To  think  of  spring  and  little  things 

Like  lilies,  roses,  sunsets,  tunes, 

The  humming  sounds  of  angels'  wings 

And  poets'  sadness  told  in  runes. 

I  have  forgotten  you 

And  all  the  time  I  gave 

To  loving  of  you 

I  now  save 

To  weep  for  things  that  cannot  live 

Like  bliss  we  weave  from  dreaming's  strands, 

The  understanding  love  can  give 

And  God's  gifts  held  within  our  hands. 


[52] 


JUNE  DUSK 


AFTER  A  QUARREL 

I  HAVE  found  my  strength  and  your  weakness 
In  this  rupture  between  us  twain. 
To  you,  'twas  a  nettle  of  anger 
While  to  me  'twas  a  flower  of  pain. 

And  I  found  this  joy  in  my  sadness; 
To  my  love,  'twas  a  pure  white  flame 
That  melted  the  dross  from  the  metal 
And  has  made  it  all  god-like  again. 


[53] 


JUNE  DUSK 


LOVE  STOLE  MY  YOUTH 

LOVE,  which  was  born  within  my  breast, 
Did  steal  my  youth,  to  build  her  nest, 
And  wakened  me  from  sleeping. 

Then  one,  who  loved  my  bird's  soft  nest, 
Stole  bird  and  nest  from  out  my  breast 
But  sent  the  bird  back  weeping. 

Her  cries  are  mournful  in  my  breast 
And,  from  them,  I  shall  have  no  rest 
Till,  in  death's  arms,  I'm  sleeping. 


[54] 


JUNE  DUSK 


FOR  I  WAS  BLIND 

BECAUSE  you  saw  my  love  and  knew  me  blind, 
You  lied  to  me.    Ah,  lying  that  was  kind ! 
For  though  I  pay  your  kiss  with  all  my  years, 
I  am  not  poor  who  have  so  many  tears. 


[55] 


JUNE  DUSK 


I  FOUND  THE  GOD  OF  LITTLE  THINGS 

Lo,  I  found  the  god  of  fairies  and  the  little 

things  of  spring 
And    he    gurgled    at    my    burden    and    'twas 

changed  into  a  string, 
Which  hung  upon  my  loving's  lute,  could  tune 

the  saddest  thing 
Into  a  song  of  all  that  joy  which  now  has  taken 

wing. 


[56] 


JUNE  DUSK 


AN  ADIEU 

MY  love  for  you  is  such  a  spirit  thing 
I  need  not  hold  your  hands  nor  kiss  your  lips 
Nor  even  watch  the  soul-signs  of  your  eyes 
To  keep  it  living  and  not  mem'ried  thing. 
My  soul  can  find  your  spirit  in  the  skies, 
In  scented  breeze,  wind- wafted  from  a  rose, 
In  cadences  of  soft  tuned  melodies, 
In  all  there  is  seductive  and  yet  pure. 
Therefore,  beloved  one,  I  can  leave  you  now 
And,  in  the  doing  so,  bespeak  my  love 
Which  is  so  vast  it  has  no  human  bonds. 
If,  in  some  future  time,  a  slight  caress 
Seems  wind-imprinted  on  your  soft  sweet  cheek, 
'Twill  be  my  spirit  on  the  wind  conveyed 
To  whisper  that  I  live  and  love  you  yet. 


[57] 


JUNE  DUSK 


LONELINESS 

HOUR  after  hour  went  by 
Till  time  knew  change  o'  day 
And  Love  seemed  just  a  cruel  thing 
Which  used  our  hearts  for  play, 
But  whispered  softly  "Time 
Though  fools  these  mortals  be 
To  let  me  hurt  them,  surely  they 
Feel  pain  exquisitely." 


[58] 


JUNE  DUSK 


SOMETIMES  AT  NIGHT 

SOMETIMES  at  night,  beloved  one,  I  long 
Enwrapped  within  your  slender  arms  to  lie^; 
Passively,  purely ;  as  an  infant  might 
Save  for  the  stifled  breathing  of  some  sigh. 


[59] 


JUNE  DUSK 


WHY  MUST  I  LOVE? 

WHY  must  I  love 

When  all  my  love  does  bring 

Is  sorrowing 

And  wistful  hopes  that  wing 

Their  way  to  you  adown  the  hush  of  night? 

For  my  poor  hopes 

And  all  the  love  they  bring 

Find  your  heart  ice 

And  come  back  perishing 

With  cold  and  pain  before  the  day  grows  light. 


[60] 


JUNE  DUSK 


I  WHISPER  TO  THE  VOICES  OF  THE 
DAWN 

BELOVED  one,  I  whisper  to  the  voices  of  the 

dawn 
To  hie  them  forth  and  harry  you  until  you  hear 

the  song 
Of  mingled  hope   and  mournfulness  I   always 

hear  at  dawn 
Because    another    day    has    come   and    lonely 

nights  are  long. 


[61] 


JUNE  DUSK 


LET  ME  COME 

EVEN  if  it  should  bore  you,  let  me  come 
And  spend  a  little  hour  at  your  side 
For  I  should  turn  those  minutes  into  dreams 
And  parentage  of  dreams   should   bring  you 
pride. 

Even  though  it  annoy  you,  let  me  come 
And  whisper  out  my  burden  once  again ; 
For,  hearing  it,  I  know  you'd  kiss  me  and 
I'd  realise  the  poetry  of  pain. 


[62] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  LOVE-SONG 

LOVE,  make  some  sign  that  you  did  hear  me 

pray; 

Gently  caress  me  with  soft  love-blurred  eyes, 
Or  touch  mine  hands  with  your  live  finger-tips 
And  I  shall  feed  my  dreams  upon  my  sighs. 
Or,  which  were  best,  pray  let  me,  as  of  yore, 
Kiss  your  soft  throat  just  where  the  pulses 

throb 

And  all  night  long  they'll  pulse  upon  my  lips 
Till  lonely  dawn  does  wake  me  with  a  sob. 


[63] 


JUNE  DUSK 


GATHER  ME  CLOSE  IN  YOUR  ARMS 

GATHER  me  close  in  your  arms,  oh  my  sweet, 
And  shelter  my  head  on  your  breast 
For  I've  loved  you  long,  with  a  bitter  pain, 
And  my  constancy  crieth  for  rest. 

Shelter  my  head  on  your  breast,  oh  my  sweet, 
And  bend  down  your  lips  to  my  brow ; 
For  I've  waited  long  for  your  sweet  soft  kiss 
And  my  patience  is  perishing  now. 

Bend  down  your  lips  to  my  brow,  oh  my  sweet, 
And  I'll  lift  my  lips  unto  thine, 
For  I've  thirsted  long,  with  enfevered  lips, 
For  your  mouth  and  its  amourous  wine. 


[64] 


JUNE  DUSK 


BEWILDERED 

I  NEVER  felt  so  far  from  you 
As  when  you  held  me  in  your  arms 
And  I  awoke  to  mine  own  self, 
Roused  by  my  pulses'  mad  alarms. 

I  never  felt  so  self-engrossed 
As  when  your  kiss  fell  on  my  lips 
And  I  grew  fevered  as  one  must 
Who  Aphrodite's  poison  sips. 

I  never  felt  your  soul  so  pure 
But  when,  to  save  me  from  myself, 
I  clung  to  you  with  all  my  strength 
I  woke  your  body  to  itself. 


[65] 


JUNE  DUSK 


SINCE  I  AM  FLESH 

I  LOVE  your  spirit  yet,  since  I  am  flesh, 
Between  your  soul  and  mine  there  ever  stands 
The  outer  semblance  of  your  inner  self 
To  rouse  my  senses  with  most  sweet  commands. 

I  love  your  eyes   when  love's  glance  softens 

them 

Until  they  seem  deep  pools  of  Hebe's  wine 
Whereof  mine  eyes  drink  till  my  soul  is  drunk 
And  all  my  flesh  leans  achingly  towards  thine. 

I  love  your  hands  when  love's  touch  wakens 

them 

Until  they  seem  a  vibrant  torch  of  flame 
Whereto  my  pulse  leaps  till  my  blood's  on  fire 
And  I  become  divinely  mad  again. 


[66] 


JUNE  DUSK 


I  FEAR  MY  HEART  GROWS  LAME 

DEAR,  place  your  hand  to  steady  my  poor  heart 
That  runs  so  fast  I  fear  me  'twill  grow  lame, 
But  let  no  word,  beloved,  from  our  lips, 
Delay  the  hour  from  turning  into  flame. 

And  place  your  mouth  adjacent  to  my  lips 
That  when  love's  flame  consumes  me  with  mad 

thirst 

From  that  dear  goblet,  filled  with  lover's  wine, 
I  may  drink  deep  without  beseeching  first. 


[67] 


JUNE  DUSK 


MY  WORSHIP'S  OVER 

MY  worship's  over  but  the  whole  world  seems 
An  empty  thing  whereof  all  joy  is  spent. 
Oh  cruel  fate !    Why  were  you  not  content 
To  let  mine  eyes    stay   bandaged  with   their 
dreams  ? 


[68] 


JUNE  DUSK 


TO  MY  IDEAL 

AST  thou  some  stranger  whom  I  have  not  seen 
Or  do  I  meet  thee  whilst  thy  face  is  masked? 
When  shall  I  know  thee?    Where,  my  love,  and 

how? 

It  matters  not  for  it  shall  come  to  pass 
As  our  wise  destinies  have  ordered  it. 
We  may  be  atoms  in  Nirvana  then; 
But,  sweet,  I  should  prefer  it  here  and  now 
For  till  I  meet  thee,  all  things  lead  to  thee; 
And  having  known  thee,  nothing  more  shall  be. 

Sometimes,  in  gazing  eyes,  I  see  thy  look; 
Sometimes,  in  handclasps,  I  divine  thy  touch ; 
And   one   there   was   who   borrowed   thy   soft 

speech 

And  used  thine  accents  for  his  whispered  lies. 
For  though  mine  ears  have  never  heard  thy 

voice 

My  soul  can  sense  it  in  the  tuneful  wind; 

[69] 


JUNE  DUSK 

And  though  I  have  not  looked  into  thine  eyes 
I  sometimes  see  them  high  up  in  the  skies, 
Wee  wisps  of  blue  which  bid  me  cherish  thee — 
And  yet,  for  all  I  know,  thine  eyes  are  brown — 
Though  I  have  never  seen  thy  lips,  my  love, 
In  the  night's  silence  I  have  felt  their  kiss. 
But  when  I  sought  to  kiss  them  they  were  gone. 
And  yet,  I  shall  not  come  with  mouth  unkissed, 
But  each  kiss  lost  has  made  my  lips  more  sweet 
For  each  kiss  spent  has  bought  them  lure  of 
love. 


[70] 


JUNE  DUSK 


CYNTHIA  TO  ENDYMION 

THY  wish,  thy  wish! 

I  would  that  it  were  granted 

And  thy  dear  arms 

Did  tightly  me  enclose. 

I  would  our  lips  in  love's  sweet  kiss  were  meet 
ing  .  -J: 

And  all  our  throbbing  pulses  madly  beating 

Unto  the  god-like  ecstasy  of  love, 

And  that  our  sighs,  now  lengthy  and  now  fleet 
ing, 

Were,  in  love's  fashion,  wordlessly  entreating 

For  still  more  kisses  so  replete  with  love. 


[71] 


JUNE  DUSK 


THE  YOGI  IN  THE  FOREST 

GKEAT  universal  Spirit,  man-named  God, 

I  bow,  in  pride  and  great  humility, 

Who  am  a  part  of  all,  which  is  Thyself. 

My  pride  is  this,  that  I  am  part  of  Thee 

Though  but  the  slightest  atom  of  Thy  might. 

Mine  humbleness  has  root  in  this  sad  fact, 

I  am  impure  therefore  material. 

Let  thy  great  mightiness  assist  me,  now, 

To  cleanse  me  of  impurities  and  flaws ; 

Let  the  corruption,  which  encases  me, 

Depart  from  me  and,  in  a  vile  decay, 

Resolve  itself  into  a  nothingness 

Which  shall  be  all  since  it  shall  be  Thyself. 


[73] 


JUNE  DUSK 


THE  TALE  OF  MOHAMED  ALI 

SHARP,  hellish  torments  agonise  his  soul 
For  his  torn  heart  has  under  it  that  bowl 
Whereon  is  written,  in  a  raging  flame, 
"I  catch  your  blood  and  fate  flings  back  the 

same 

Into  your  heart  to  ooze  out,  drop  by  drop, 
For  death  not   always   comes   when  life  does 

stop." 

So  he  whose  life  has  stopped,  lives  on;  a  man 
Living  in  hell;  for  only  there  one  can 
Endure  the  torments  which  do  wrack  his  frame 
Which  loved  her  so  yet  never  once  the  same 
Shall  lie  beside  her,  in  a  lover's  way, 
From  sunset  till  the  night  pales  into  day. 

Yes,  longing  now  lies  in  his  arms,  once  filled 
With  her  soft  body  whose  love-pulses  thrilled 
To  a  divine,  ecstatic,  passioned  beat 

[73] 


JUNE  DUSK 

The  while  their  souls  did  journey  forth  and 

meet. 

So,  lonely  now,  he  muses  on  her  hair 
And  wonders  whoso  lies  entangled  there. 


JUNE  DUSK 


EVENING 

DYING,  the  day  sank  on  a  couch  of  dusk 
And  clouds  did  lower  curtains,  'gainst  the  sun, 
Of  rosy  gauze,  then  darker  velvet  ones ; 
Gently,  the  trees  spread  over  her  who  slept 
A  fairy  covering  of  filmy  lace 
Which   vandal   night   destroyed    the   while   I 
watched. 

Sighing,  the  wind  brought  scent  of  fragrant 

musk 

To  that  vast  chamber,  curtained  from  the  sun ; 
Nor  lit  by  moon-lamp  nor  the  starry  ones. 
Gently,  the  breeze  pronounced  that  nature  wept 
(A  summer  showering  fell  on  my  face) 
For  day  found  rest  eternal  while  I  watched. 


[75] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  MAGDALEN  IN  THE  DESERT 

SOMETIMES,  within  this  desert  gloom  so  dense, 
The  naked  beauty  of  my  soft  young  limbs 
And    rose-tipped    blossoms     of    my    budding 

breasts 

Do  hypnotise  mine  eyes  till  mem'ry's  gaze 
Doth  look  upon  a  sinful  softer  time 
When  all  my  senses  slowly  swooned  beneath 
The  evil  unction  of  caressing  hands. 

Is  it  my  fault  that  memory  doth  live 

Rousing  my  senses  wide  awake  again 

Until  in  shudd'ring  shivers  of  delight 

They  cause  dead  moments  to  revivify? 

Not  mine  the  fault,  who  mortify  my  flesh       , 

Until  I  weep  at  its  disfigurement, 

But  that  of  all  those  lovers  in  my  past 

Who  loved  my   body  till  their  strength  was 

spent. 

For  I  had  many  lovers  in  that  past 
[76] 


JUNE  DUSK 

And  some  were  subtle  masters  of  delight 

Who  thought  me  mistress  of  the  art  of  love 

The  whilst  we  loved  throughout  an  entire  night. 

The  colours  of  the  sunset  do  recall 

The  rose-tinged  silken  cushions  of  my  couch 

Whereon  in  snowy  nudity  I  lay 

Priestess  well-versed  in  Aphrodite's  rites. 

And  at  that  altar,  many  devotees 

Did  bow  them  down  and  worship  her  with  me. 

Now  Aphrodite  lies  unpedestaled, 
Her  altars  stripped,  by  conscience,  of  delight 
But  I,  who  was  her  priestess,  recollect 
The  soft  erotic  beauties  of  her  shrine. 


JUNE  DUSK 


FROM  A  HOTEL  WINDOW 

THOUGH  late  the  hour,  far  below, 
I  see  lone,  straggling  women  yet 
Upon  the  pavement,  cold  and  wet, 
Parading  sex  that's  fallen  low. 

And  men  there  are  who  stop  and  buy 
That  tainted  draught  to  quench  the  thirst 
Of  lust,  and  give  their  manhood  first 
To  those  who  sell  to  passers-by. 

For  these  will  sell,  while  one  will  buy, 
To  gain  their  daily  tithe  of  bread. 
Poor  fallen  sisters.     Better  dead 
Than  slaves  to  lusts  of  passers-by. 

Was  it  for  this  that  Jesus  died? 
That  Buddha  fasted  while  he  sought 
The  law  of  Karma?    Which  he  taught — 
Vain  hope  to  save  the  crucified. 

[78] 


JUNE  DUSK 


AFTER  A  CONCERT 

I  HAVE  gone,  sadly,  through  this  dreary  world 

Searching,  assiduously,  all  the  way 

To  find  a  soul  which  did  idealise ; 

I  searched  afar,  on  by-paths  as  on  roads, 

But,  natheless,  never  did  my  searching  find 

Aught  save  some  souls  I  had  idealised. 

And  I  grew  weary  and  my  soul  cried  out, 

"Must  all  this  searching  simply  go  to  find 

The  bitter  meaning  of  futility?" 

Just  then  your  music  stole  within  my  soul 

Voicing   out  dreams    I   dared   not   dream    to 

have 

Because  so  different  from  the  common  trend 
Of  thoughts  which  throng  the  brains  of  com 
mon  men. 

Yes,  all  the  tender  moodiness  of  one, 
Who  dreams  of  things  he  cannot  hope  to  be, 
Seemed,  in  your  music,  to  proclaim  itself. 

[79] 


JUNE  DUSK 

Did  your  soul  journey  through  a  million  years 

To  gain  the  knowledge — to  yourself  be  true 

Though  you  should  lie  to  every  other  one — ? 

And  did  it  know  a  myriad  of  loves 

Before  it  learned  that  love  must  always  end  ? 

And  did  it  worship  many  different  gods 

Before  it  learned  God  creature  of  one's  brain 

As  high  or  low  as  was  one's  worship's  name? 

Did  your  soul  show  its  beauty  unto  men 

Who  jeered  at  it  because  from  them  estranged, 

As  poets'  souls  are  from  the  souls  of  men, 

That  you  do  hide  it  now  in  seeming  shame? 

Is  it  because  you've  reached  great  spirit-height 

And  find  it  is  too  lonely  to  be  bliss, 

That  in  your  sobbing  soul  there  dormant,  lies 

The  force  to  love  in  an  abandoned  way? 

Or  do  strange  voices  from  the  land  of  Dis 

Wantonly  woo  you  to  strange  ecstasies? 

I  feel  you've  had  the  courage  to  proceed 
Along  that  path,  whose  borders  are  insane, 
Until  you've  found  the  ending  of  those  thoughts 
Which  I  have  left  in  chaos,  to  my  shame. 
[80] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  SEA-SHELL 

BOIIN  of  some  passion  hidden  in  tfye  sea, 

My  life  is  love  which  only  lives  in  song. 

I  croon  a  dirge  throughout  the  whole  night  long 

Nor,  at  the  dawning,  ceases  threnody 

Save  when  my  lover,  Wind,  breathes  themes  to 

me. 

When  he  moans  low  he  woos  me  from  the  song 
Of  sterile  love-life  and  does  make  me  long 
To  reach  life's  end  when  he  shall  mate  with  me. 

Yet,  like  a  lute,  I  do  betray  the  wind 

And  sing  my  song  of  purest  ecstasy 

Beneath  the  spell  of  a  caressing  touch 

From  one  who  hears  my  singing  and  has  mind 

To  see  my  singing's  inmost  secrecy 

Is  a  vain  hope  which  to  my  heart  I  clutch. 


[81] 


JUNE  DUSK 


SHAKESPEAREAN  SONNETS 


I  COME  to  thee  with  tale  which  I'll  now  tell 
Unto  the  soul  I  envy  most  on  earth 
For  ev'ry  one  who  knows  thee  knows  as  well 
That  love  for  thee  in  ev'ry  heart  has  birth; 
Thine  eyes  unsearchable,  whose  wondrous  hues 
Are  like  a  glimpse  of  heaven  before  death, 
Do,  from  our  hearts,  our  loves  exact  as  dues 
To  God  for  thine  annuity  of  breath. 
I  come  to  thee  to  tell  my  tale  of  woe 
In  hopes  thy  mercy  may  enlighten  me 
By  showing  me  the  spirit  that  doth  glow 
Behind  those  love-compelling  eyes  I  see. 

Ah !  should  you  show  me  what  that  spirit  is 
In  aping  it  I  might  then  conquer  his. 


[82] 


JUNE  DUSK 


II 

He  is  my  love  for  whose  love  I  do  long 
But  other  things  than  longing  purchase  love 
So  sometimes  do  I  whisper,  "God  it's  wrong 
Not  to  direct  our  longings  from  above." 
And  yet,  I  would  not  have  my  love  for  him 
Be  God-directed  to  another  man. 
No,  for  it  is  my  poor  life's  sweetest  whim 
To  think  that  win  his  love,  some  day,  I  can. 
Sometimes,  from  dreaming,  wake  I  with  a  start 
And  realise  what  sorrow  waiting  is 
When  one  is  waiting  with  a  longing  heart 
For  some  sweet  love-sign  that  shall  come  from 

him. 

Therefore  I  come  to  thee  and  beg  thee  tell 
What  I  may  do  to  save  me  from  this  hell. 


[83] 


JUNE  DUSK 


HI 


One  time,  I  knew  his  heart  was  filled  with  love 
For  one  so  diff'rent  from  the  mould  of  me 
That  I  cried  to  my  soul,  in  rage  of  love, 
"If  it  must  be  why  need  mine  eyes  to  see?" 
I  went  along  with  nails  clenched  in  my  palm 
Yet  people,  seeing  the  gay  smile  I  wore 
Did  swear  I  never  had  known  one  love's  qualm 
Whereas  my  soul  was  suffering  from  a  score. 
But  in  the  night,  when  prying  eyes  were  closed, 
My  smile  was  lost  in  agonised  frown 
And  if,  perchance,  in  sleep  my  body  dozed 
My  spirit  went  to  Hers  and  bowed  it  down. 
For  his  loved  one  was  hated  holy  thing 
To  whom  my  soul  did  rueful  worship  bring. 


[84] 


JUNE  DUSK 


IV 


Thou  canst  not  picture  to  thy  soul  I  know 
How  one  may  love  where  love  is  wanted  not 
Yet  in  such  love  a  beauty  great  doth  grow 
Which  others  that  are  happy  loves  have  not. 
It  has  a  sweetness  only  pain  can  give, 
Which  is  like  a  great  minor-written  tone; 
It  only  asks  the  right  to  be  let  live 
And  cherish  its  desire  some  place,  alone. 
It  only  seeks  the  right  to  hide  its  life 
In  some  sequestered  nook  where  naught  can 

come 

To  show  it  that  it  is  a  hopeless  strife 
To  try  to  drown,  with  hope,  fate's  hateful  hum. 
And  yet,  one  hope  another  hope  does  bring 
Which  hopes  my  hope  to  bliss  doth  prelude 
sing. 


[85] 


JUNE  DUSK 


THE  GODS  PROTECTED  ME 

PSHAW!  I  had  bartered  my  common-sense 
(And  that's  the  best  of  me) 
For  a  foolish  love  that  was  not  worth  while 
But  the  gods  protected  me. 
And  yet,  there  are  times  when  I  almost  wish 
That  the  gods  had  neglected  me. 


[86] 


JUNE  DUSK 


P  THE  MYSTIC  MOOD 

THBOUGH  the  mists  o'  doom, 

I  hear  the  fate-bells  pealing, 

Calling  me  to  worship 

On  the  still  cold  height. 

Aye,  I  hear  the  fate-bells  pealing 

Through  the  mists  o'  doom,  revealing 

A  visioning  in  loneliness 

That  fills  my  soul  with  fright. 


[87] 


JUNE  DUSK 


FLOWER  O'  YOUTH 

FLO  WEB,  o'  YOUTH,  shall  I  fling  you  away 
And  sit  me  down  in  a  corner  to  pray  ? 
Nor  sip  of  your  perfume  while  I  may  ? 
Flower  o'  youth,  shall  I  do  that?     Say. 

"Flower  o*  youth,  is  like  flowers  of  May, 
They  are  cheap  to  get  till  they  wilt  away, 
But  sniff  o'  their  perfume  and  'twill  stay 
To  bloom  in  your  heart  when  life  grows  grey.' 


[88] 


JUNE  DUSK 


JUNE-DUSK 

YOUR  eyelids  trembled  for  some  pulsing  thing 
Of  subtle  sin  vibrated  in  your  eyes, 
And  all  your  breaths  were  gathering  in  sighs 
Which  seemed  to  gasp,  "Let  ecstasy  begin," 
You  stooped  to  kiss  me — Was  it  strength  of 

soul 

That  tinged  your  lips  with  icy  innocence 
Or  was  it  flower  of  experience  ? — 
I  never  knew  more  exquisite  a  sin. 


[89] 


JUNE  DUSK 


ALL  NIGHT  WE  WATCHED  THE 

SUNSET 

ALL  night  long  you  were  close  to  me 

And  we  watched  the  sunset  and  heard  the  sea 

And  you  held  my  hand  till  my  senses  blurred 

Into  the  light  for  the  dawn  had  stirred. 

t 

All  Sunrise  poured  its  light  on  me 
But  I  closed  mine  eyes  and  I  still  could  see 
Your  eyes  as  they  flooded  with  passion's  light 
And  the  night  burned  out  in  a  fire  less  bright. 


[90] 


JUNE  DUSK 


THE  DUSK  RE-CAPTURES  YOU 

LOVE,  ev'ry  day  the  dusk  re-captures  you 
And  that  dim  room  wherein  you  sat  so  still — 
Without  one  movement,  save  where  throbbing 

pulse 
Made  your  throat's  anguish  stronger  than  your 

will. 

That  will  which  prisoned  sin  within  our  eyes 
And  fed  our  lips  with  unassuaged  desire 
But  made  my  soul-sin  damnable 
Because  our  bodies'  purity  was  so  entire. 


[91] 


JUNE  DUSK 


SHOULD  YOU  SPEAK  NOW 

SHOULD  you  speak  now,  i'  faith  'twere  very  truth 
To  state  she  has  no  feelings  to  be  hurt. 
For  my  heart  broke  and  all  my  soul  grew  numb 
To  think  you  knew  my  love  and  mocked  at  it. 
You  knew  your  will,  though  volatile,  was  mine 
And  that  mine  actions  were  controlled  by  it ; 
That  sometimes,  when  I  longed  to  kiss  your 

mouth, 

I  did  not  dare  so  much  as  touch  your  hand 
For  my  sworn  love  was  really  love  itself 
And  sought  your  pleasure  not  mine  own  de- 

light. 

You  knew  my  heart  gave  all  it  had  to  give 
Of  love  that  had  not  perished  sorrowing, 
And  that  my  soul  gave  all  it  had  to  give 
Of  holiness  and  of  its  power  to  sin. 
So,  when  you  mocked  my  painful  passiveness 
And  all  the  depth  of  longing  it  contained 
My  rage  flared  up  and,  in  a  blaze  of  hate, 
Consumed  my  love  and  left  my  feelings  dead. 
[&*] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  TALE  WITH  A  MORAL 

I  HEARD  it  said  stage-folks  were  naughty 
And  that  their  manner,  which  was  haughty, 
Was  merely  scorn  for  folks'  opinions 
And  that  of  vice  they  were  the  minions ; 
That  they  loved  lobster,  wine  and  whisky, 
And  'mongst  themselves  were  very  frisky; 
In  fact,  of  morals  that  they  had  none — 
The  prudish  way  for  saying  "had  fun." 

Miss  Sapphic  Kiss,  in  whose  support  I 
First  trod  the  boards,  gained  great  renown  by 
A  kiss  which  really  made  her  famous 
Because  the  clergy  cried,  "You  shame  us." 
And  people  said,  "She  has  no  morals." 
And  'mongst  her  leading  men  are  quarrels 
As  to  just  which  one  knows  the  huge  bliss 
Of  getting  her  most-highly-damned  kiss. 

[93] 


JUNE  DUSK 

She  read  old  Chaucer  for  diversion, 
For  cigarettes,  expressed  aversion 
As  likewise,  for  all  wine  and  whisky 
And  people  who  were  classed  as  frisky. 

And  lobsters?     Why,  she  never  ate  them 
(Although  as  backers  doesn't  hate  them) 
She  wore  no  jewels,  only  coral, 
Most  ladies  do,  when  strictly  moral. 

Knowing  that  somewhere  lay  a  moral, 
I  asked  Miss  Kiss,  with  question  oral, 
How  it  came  that  she,  stage-reprobate, 
Should,  in  private  life,  be  so  sedate. 
Unto  that  question  so  bromidic 
Miss  Kiss  made  answer — 'twas  specific — 
"You'll  grant  my  murder-scenes  imagined. 
Then  why  not  love-scenes  though  impassioned?" 


[94] 


JUNE  DUSK 


TO  A  GHOST-MAN 

I  THINK  it  is  a  sorry  thing 

We  did  not  die  in  fact 

Who  then  might  wander  with  the  dead) 

Unconscious  of  each  act, 

Because  the  dead  have  never  talked; 

Death's  ennui  taught  them  tact. 


[95] 


JUNE  DUSK 


OH,  FIE  ON  ME ! 

WHEN  I  was  young,  with  chuckling  glee, 
I  read  such  things !  oh,  fie  on  me ! 

I  read  Boccacio  to  discover 
The  things  that  Byron  failed  t'uncover, 
And  joyed  in  their  descriptions  graphic 
Of  love-scenes  that  were — not  phlegmatic. 

I  read  old  Horace  nor  was  haughty 
Because  his  morals  were  so  naughty. 
I  knew  the  ancients  weren't  seraphic. 
They  say  the  ladies'  odes  were — Sapphic. 

Yes,  I  found  classics  most  magnetic, 
I  read  them  and  became — esthetic ; 
But  here  my  tale  becomes  pathetic, 
I've  since  that  time  become  ascetic. 

And  so  I  say,  "Oh,  fie  on  me, 
To  read  such  things  with  chuckling  glee !" 
[96] 


JUNE  DUSK 


MEMORY  MY  LOVE  DOES  BORROW 

I  LOVE  to-day  but  to-morrow 
Memory  my  love  does  borrow, 
Oblivion  does  steal  it  after  that; 
And  I  know,  much  to  my  sorrow, 
Such  will  be  the  case  to-morrow 
For  constancy  with  me  has  never  sat. 


[97] 


JUNE  DUSK 


YES,  DEAR 

AND  hast  thou  loved 
Before  this  love  for  me? 

Yes,  dear,  I've  loved 

And  each  love  was  a  school 

Whereat  I  learned  a  touch, 

A  sweet  caress, 

Some  subtle  gift  of  bliss 

With  which  to  win 

And  hold  thy  love  to  me. 

Should  one  be  loved 

If  our  love  ceased  to  be? 

Numbers  be  loved, 
And  thy  love  be  a  school 
Whereat  I  learned  much ; 
A  sweet  caress, 
And  wherein  I  did  miss, 
When  I  did  win, 
To  hold  a  love  to  me. 
[98] 


JUNE  DUSK 


A  POEM  WITHOUT  A  HERO 

MOST  poets,  when  they  write,  extoll  a  hero 
But  my  chaste  muse  prefers  to  chant  a  lady. 
The  reason  that  my  muse  has  given  is 
That  ladies'  lives  are  free  from  aught  that's 

shady. 

What?     For  applause,  you  think  that  state 
ment  sung! 

No  'tisn't  that.    My  muse  is  pure — and  young. 
Oh,  gentle  reader,  prithee  do  read  on 
Perhaps  my  muse  may  change  her  ways  anon. 

Now  poets,  when  they  write,  evolve  a  pet  style 
And  mine,  though  still  in  stage  that's  embry 
onic, 

Must,  to  the  reader  who  does  know  such  things, 
Proclaim  itself  as  something  soon  Byronic. 
But  style  and  heroine  are  all  I've  got 
I  lack  a  hero  so  you  lose  a  lot. 
For  Byron's  style  was  not  like  Nelly  Glynn's 
Which  writes  in  dots  when  interest  begins. 

[99] 


JUNE  DUSK 


I  AM  IN  LOVE  WITH  LOVE 

I  AM  in  love  with  love,  not  thee, 
So  soon  thy  kiss  will  bore  me 
And  hastily  from  thee  I'll  flee, 
Who  seemingly  adore  thee ; 
For  I'm  in  love  with  love,  not  thee, 
And  soon  thy  kiss  will  bore  me. 


[100] 


JUNE  DUSK 


WHEN  WE  DID  KISS  FOR  THE 
EMOTION'S  SAKE 

I  DID  not  love  you 

Neither  did  you  me 

When  we  did  kiss,  for  the  emotion's  sake, 

One  idle  moment  of  an  idler  day. 

I  did  not  love  you 

But  that  kiss,  in  me, 

Did  all  the  passions  of  great  love  awake 

And  they  have  bided  with  me  to  this  day. 

But  though  I  love  you, 

I  can't  let  you  see 

For  I'm  a  woman  with  my  pride  at  stake 

And  pride's  road  lies  a  silent,  saddened  way. 


[101] 


JUNE  DUSK 


THE  WEAK'NING  STRENGTH  OF  LOVE 

IF  but  my  mind  could  take  the  tangled  skein 
Of  thought  made  from  the  threads  of  my  life's 

deeds, 

And  by  unraveling,  convert  it  to 
An  ordered  sequence  where  now  chaos  leads, 
I'd  write  a  poem  for  thine  eyes  to  read 
Which  would  convey  the  weak'ning  strength  of 

love, 

For  all  my  deeds  since  my  heart  went  to  thee 
Are  actioned  thoughts  with,  somewhere  in  them, 

love. 


[102] 


JUNE  DUSK 


IF  YOU  WERE  DEAD 

DEAR,  Love,  if  you  were  dead, 

I  should  not  mourn  for  you; 

But,  selfishly,  would  deem  it  again 

That  death,  for  you,  had  knowledge  wrought 

Of  my  great  love  for  you. 

Since  the  dear  dead  must  surely  know 

And,  understanding,  whisper  low 

Their  pity  for  a  love  unsought. 


[103] 


JUNE  DUSK 


WITHIN  YOUR  DULCET  EYES  OF  GREY 

WITHIN  your  dulcet  eyes  of  grey 

A  million  little  poems  play 

And  most  of  them  are  blithe  and  gay ; 

But  'twas  a  little  pensive  fay 

That  made  me  stoop,  that  other  day, 

And  kiss  your  eyes  in  wistful  way. 


[104] 


IFNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY,  LOS  ANGELES 

COLLEGE  LIBRARY 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Book  Slip-25m-7,'61(Cl437s4)4280 


UCLA-College  Library 

PS  3527  N1618J 


L  005  733  537  4 


College 
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